Jean François Porchez: The Visible Invisibility of Words

February 28, 2018 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Why is typography a vital asset for business communication? Visual identity is built from the colors and typefaces that make up the most fundamental expression of a brand, yet the design of typefaces must remain invisible for the convenience of the reader. How does the typeface designer reconcile such inherent contradictions, while also meeting the needs of their clients?

Founder of Typofonderie, type director of ZeCraft, Jean François Porchez is one of the pioneers of digital typography. Transmitter of knowledge and discoverer of talents, teamwork is at the heart of his concerns. It is also for these reasons that he launched TypeParis in 2015.

After training as a graphic designer, during which he focused on type design, Jean François Porchez (1964) worked as a type director at Dragon Rouge, then at Le Monde newspaper in early 90s. He was President of the Association Typographique Internationale in 2004–2007. He is board member of the Club des Directeurs Artistiques in Paris and member of the Type Directors Club in New York. He is the programme director for typographic design master at ECV, Paris.

He was awarded the Prix Charles Peignot in 1998 and numerous prizes for his typefaces. Introduced to French Who’s Who in 2009. In 2014, Perrousseaux publishes his monograph. Knight in the order of Arts and Letters in 2015. The President of France, Emmanuel Macron use his typefaces for his communication since 2017.

Venue

The Type Directors Club is the leading international organization whose purpose is to support excellence in typography, both in print and on screen. Through our annual competition and exhibition and frequent salons and workshops, we hope to celebrate the current stars of the typographic field and educate its future leaders. Learn more about the club here or become a member to help us give back to the community and to become a part of our history.